Refrigerating apparatus of the compression type



Patented Oct. 28, 1941' REFRIGERATING APPARATUS OF THE COM- PRESSION TYPE Rudolf Hintze, Berlin-Charlottenburg, and Peter Pfaif, Berlin-Siemensstadt, Germany, assignors to Patentverwertungs-Gesellschaft mit beschritnkter Haftung Hermes, Berlin, Germany,-a corporation of Germany Application August 9, 1939, Serial No. 289,252 In Germany August 11, 1938 13 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerating apparatus of the compression type.

Refrigerating apparatus of the compression type, particularly for domestic refrigerators, require, as a rule, a number of individual parts which must be connected to one another by means of conduits. From a manufacturing point of view, it is a considerable advantage if it is possible to combine several of these individual parts to form a unit. The attaining of such an advantage is one of the objects of the present invention.

Another object of the invention is to combine the motor-compressor set of a refrigerating apparatus with the condenser so as to form a spacesaving unit.

A still further object is to design a refrigerating apparatus, having a motor-compressor set, in such a way that the waste heat of the set is dissipated to the atmosphere by means of the condensed refrigerant.

An object of the invention also is to further simplify the construction and manufacture of a refrigerating apparatus of the compression type by providing an apparatus in which a very effective transfer of waste heat from the electric driving motor and the compressorthrough the housing of these elements to the ambient atmosphere is obtained without requiring an accurate machining of the motor and compressor surface and without providing for a tight fit between the motor-compressor set and the surrounding housing.

According to the-invention, the condenser of the refrigerating apparatus is composed of two metal sheets welded together in face-to-face relationship and is so designed that the condensing chamber contacts directly with, or forms part of, the wall of the housing enclosing the motorcompressor set. In this manner, the motorcompressor set and condenser of the refrigerating apparatus are combined into a single unit. This unit, according to the invention, may be so designed that the .waste heat of the motor -compressor set is dissipated by means of the refrigerant liquefied in the condenser.

According to another feature of the invention, the pair of metal sheets forming the condenser is provided with an indented or bulged section so as to form a chamber for the reception of the motor-compressor set. This indented section forms wholly or partly the outer jacket of the motor-compressor set and is preferably arranged in the lower part of the condenser. The arrangement is preferably so dimensioned that type are particularly advantageous because the H outer surface of the electric motor driving the compressor needs no special machining. However, the invention may also be carried. out in such a manner that the waste heat of the motorcompressor set is transferred to thewalls of its housing by direct heat contact. In this case, the motor is preferably pressed into a housing which is resiliently supported inside the con-- denser enclosing the housing. In all of the above cases, the arrangement may be so designed that the condenser, forming wholly. or partly the outer jacket-of the set, is rigidly secured to the refrigerator cabinet, since the springs supporting the set inside the housing or the resilient support of the housing within the condenser prevent vibrations of the set from being transmitted to the condenser. Such a construction makes it possible to use the condenser together with the outer jacket of the motor-compressor set as a rear wall or lateral wall of the refrigerator cabinet or as a support for the cabinet.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a refrigerating apparatus according to the invention in a vertical sectional elevation,-

Fig. 2 a lateral view of the same embodiment,

Fig. 3 shows another form of the invention,

Figs. 4 and 5a third embodiment in a diagrammatical sectional elevation and a side view respectively, and

Figs. 6 and '7 a fourth embodiment also in a sectional View and a side view.

Referring at first to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, 50 designates a portion of the heat insulating wall of a domestic refrigerator cabinet, and 5| an inserted wall section carrying the refrigerating apparatus proper.

I denotes the motor-compressor set mounted in a pressure-tight housing 2 which forms part of the refrigerating circulation system. The

motor-compressor set is supported by springs 3 with respect to the wall of the housing 2 so that the vibrations caused by the operation of the set are not transmitted to the outer wall of the housing. The housing consists of two symmetrical metal sheets 4 and 5 secured together around their edges by welding to form a pressure-tight container. 6 and 1 denote two corrugated metal sheets which are also welded together in face-to-face relationship. The registering corrugations 8 of the sheets 5 and 1 form the condenser conduits proper. Indentations 9 and II) respectively are provided in the lower portion of the plates. These indentations are so designed that they form an outer jacket which encloses the housing 2. The space H between the jacket and the housing 2 forms part of the condenser conduit system 8 and hence contains liquid refrigerant when the apparatus is in operation. A conduit l5 connects the lower part L of space H with the evaporator l2 inside the cabinet and includes a regulating member l6, such as a capillary tube or a valve, for control. ling the supply of liquid refrigerant to the evaporator. A suction conduit [3 connects the evaporator l2 with the suction side of the compressor.

When the apparatus is in operation, the refrigerant is drawn. fromthe evaporator i2 through conduit l3 into the housing 2 in which prevails the pressure of evaporation. The compressor forces the refrigerant through the flexible pressure conduit l4 into the intermediate space I I so that the refrigerant comes into contact with the outer surfaces 4 and 5 of the housing 2. The heat thus absorbed by the refrigerant is given off to the cooling surfaces 6, "i of the condenser while causing an evaporation of a small quantity of refrigerant.

The waste heat is transferred from the resiliently supported motor-compressor set I to the walls 4, 5 of the housing with the aid of a blower. To this end, a centrifugal blower I! is mounted on the motor-compressor shaft. The gas contained in the compressor housing 2 is drawn in by the blower along the motor-compressor set in the direction indicated by arrows and impinges upon the walls of the housing. A bell-shaped enclosure l8 of sheet iron serves to bring about a proper circulation of the vaporous refrigerant within the housing so that the refrigerant acts as a vehicle for carrying the waste heat from the set I to the walls of the housing 2.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 is partly similar to that of Fig. l, as is apparent from the corresponding reference numerals. However, in the embodiment of Fig. 3 themotor-compressor set is pressed into a housing 2!. The housing 2| is resiliently secured to the inner wall of the lower part is of the condenser by means of springs 22. The heat is carried off from the motor-compressor set to the walls of the housing by direct transfer of heat. From the walls .-ofthe housing 2| the waste heat is then transferred, in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1, to the cooling surfaces of sheets 6 and I by means of the liquid refrigerantin condenser 8. The refrigerant compressed by the compressor is forced into the condenser through an opening (not shown) in the wall of housing 2|. In this case a portion 23 of the suction conduit I3 is flexible and connected to the housing 2| in which prevails the pressure of evaporation.

.In Figs. 4 and 5, similar parts are denoted by the same reference numerals as in Fig. 1. The

housing enclosing the set I consists in this case of a bell-shaped container 3| and a bottom portion 32. The metal sheets 33 and 34 of the condenser are provided at their lower parts with indentations of such shape that they form two jacket halves 35 and. 36 respectively for the compressor housing 3|. Also in this case an intermediate space H filled with liquid refrigerant is provided between the jacket halves 35 and 36 on the one hand and the bell-shaped container 3| on the other hand.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7 differs from that of Figs. 4 and 5 by the fact that the condenser formed of metal sheets 40 and 4| is provided with indentations 42 and 43 which lie at the same side of the motor-compressor set. In this manner the indentation 42 forms one wall of the compressor-motor housing, whereas the other wall is formed by a cover 44 secured to the condenser by welding.

As above mentioned, the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 6 in which a blower is employed to carry off the heat to the walls of the housing can be replaced by an arrangement in which the heat is dissipated to the walls of the housing by means of a liquid, for instance by the lubricant. The refrigerating apparatus of the compression type may also be so'designed that not only the condenser and the outer jacket of the -motorcompressor set but also the evaporator are made of one pair of corrugated and indented sheet metals.

We claim:

1. In a refrigerating apparatus having a. motorcompressor set sealed in a housing and a condenser structure comprising a pair of metal sheets sealed together in face-to-face relationship, said metal sheet structure having an upper straight portion and a lower bulged portion and forming a refrigerant-containing conduit system extending over said straight and said bulged portion, said bulged portion being associated with said housing to form a cooling jacket for transferring waste heat from said set through refrigerant in said conduit system to the outer surface of said condenser structure.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said bulged portion of said condenser structure extending over approximately one third of the vertical extension of said structure.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus having a hermetically sealed motor-compressor set, a condenser structure comprising a pair of metal sheets sealed together in face-to-face relationship and forming a refrigerant-containing conduit system, said condenser structure having a bulged portion enclosing said motor-compressor set and forming a cooling jacket for transferring waste heat from said set through refrigerant in said conduit system to the outer surface of said condenser structure.

4. A refrigerating apparatus having a motorcompressor set and a condenser structure comprising a pair of corrugated metal sheets, a portion of said sheets being sealed together in faceto-face relationship a zl another portion of each of said sheets being Lulged outwardly so as to form a sealed container, said motor-compressor set being arranged in said container, said pair of metal sheets forming between them a refrigerant-containing fluid system extending over both of said'sheet portions.

5. A refrigerating apparatus having a motorcompressor set, a housing hermetically enclosing said set, a condenser structure comprising a pair of metal sheets sealed together in faceto-face relationship and forming a refrigerantcontaining conduit system, said housing being rigidly secured to said condenser structure so as to have its. wall bordered by part of said conduit system to transfer waste heat from said set through refrigerant in said conduit system to the outer surface of said metal sheet structure, and resilient means disposed in said housing for holding said set.

6. A refrigerating apparatus having a motorcompressor set, a housing hermetically enclosing said set, resilient supporting means disposed between said housing and said set, a fluid heat vehicle disposed in said housing for transferring Waste heat from said set to said housing, a condenser structure comprising a pair of metal sheets sealed together in face-to-face relationship and forming a refrigerant-containing conduit system, said housing being rigidly secured to said condenser structure so as to have its wall bordered by part of said conduit system to transfer said waste heat from saidhousing through refrigerant in said conduit system to the outer surface of said metal sheet structure.

'7. A refrigerating apparatus having a motorcornpressor set, a housing enclosing said set, elastic means in said housing for resiliently holding said set, a suction conduit connected with saiu housing for supplying vaporous refrigerant to'be compressed, blower means disposed in said housing for circulating said vaporous refrigerant in saidhousing to improve the transfer of waste heat from said set through said refrigerant to said housing, a condenser s ructure comprising a pair of metal sheets sealed together in face-to-face relationship and forming a refrigerant-containing conduit system,

said housing being rigidly secured to said condenser structure so as to have its wall bordered by part of said conduit system to transfer'said waste heat from said housing through refrigerant in said conduit system to the outer surface of said metal sheet structure.

8. A refrigerating apparatus having a motorcompressor set, a housing enclosing said set, elastic means in said housing for resiliently holding said set, a suction conduit connected with said housing for supplying vaporous refrigerant to be compressed, a blower disposed in said housing for circulating said vaporous refrigerant in said housing, said blower being arranged coaxially to said motor-compressor set and being operatively connected therewith, and a vane structure arranged in said housing for guiding the vaporous refrigerant impelled by said blower so as to transfer Waste heat from said set through said refrigerant to said housing, a condenser structure comprising a pair of metal sheets sealed together in face-to-face relationship and forming a refrigerant-containing conduit system, said housing being rigidly secured to said condenser structure so as to have its wall bordered by part of said conduit system to transfer said waste heat from said housing through refrigerant in said conduit system to the outer surface of said metal sheet structure.

9. A refrigerating apparatus having a motorcompressor set, a housing enclosing said set, said housing being formed of two cup-shaped sheet metal portions, and a condenser structure. comprising a pair of corrugated metal sheets forminga refrigerant-containing conduit system, said pair of metal sheets having a. fiat portion sealed face-on-face together and another portion bulging outwardly so as to enclose said housing, said two sheet metal portions of said housing lying symmetrically to the plane of contact of said flat portion. 7

10. A refrigerating apparatus having a motor compressor set, a housing enclosing said set, said housing being formed of a bell-shaped container and a bottom portion closing said container, and

a condenser structure comprising a pair of corrugated metal sheets forming a refrigerant-containing conduit system, said pair of metal sheets having a flat upper portion sealed face-on-face together and a bulging lower portion enclosing said bell-shaped container, said corrugations of said metal sheets forming a conduit system for condensing refrigerant, said conduit system extending over said flat portion and around said bell-shaped container.

11. A refrigerating apparatus having a motorcompressor set, a condenser structure comprising a pair of corrugated metal sheets sealed together in face-to-face relationship so as to form a conduit system for condensing refrigerant, said metal sheet structure having an indented portion forming a cup-shaped recess, and a cover disposed on said recess and tightly joined with said structure so as to form a closed chamber, said motor-compressor set being' arranged in said chamber.

' 12. A refrigerating apparatus having a motorcompressor set, a housing hermetically enclosing said set, a condenser structure comprising a pair of corrugated metal sheets, a portion of said sheets being sealed together in face-to-face relationship and anotherv portion of each of said sheets being bulged outwardly so as to completely enclose said housing, and elastic means disposed in said bulged portion of said structure for resiliently holding said housing.

13. A refrigerating apparatus having a motoric set composed of an-electric motor and a compressor, a housing hermetically closing said set, said housing being closely fitted on said motor so that waste heat is transferred from said motor to said housing by direct heat conduction, a condenser structure consisting of a pair of corrugated metal sheets sealed together in face-to face relationship and forming a refrigerant conduit system, said metal sheet structure being associated with said housing to form a unit and RUDOLF HINTZE. PETER PFAFF. 

